Rotary kelly hammer



July 5, 1966 H. J. HAWTHORNE ROTARY KELLY HAMMER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 19, 1964 INVENTOR. %5559721 f/, wzwomv BY 'Mae y 19 7' IVEYS y 5,1966 J. HAWTHORNE 3,259,196

ROTARY KELLY HAMMER Filec Feb. 19, 1964 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w !r maIIJIIIIlI United States Patent O 3,259,196 ROTARY KELLY HAMMER HerbertJ. Hawtlorne, P.0. Box 7301, Houston, Tex. Filed Feb. 19, 1964, Ser. No.345,916 17 Claims. (Cl. 173-78) The present invention has reference to acombination rotary kelly and hammer adapted for drilling Operations.

Known practices for imparting a pulsating force to a rotary drillinclude various techniques such as the provision of a hammer assemblymounted at the lower end of the drilling string immediately adjacent thedrill bit. Likewise, various hammer arrangements have been provided forabove ground operation. In such prior art, significant shortcomings arepresent. When the hammer is below ground immediately adjacent the drillbit, the hammer is inaccessible and otherwise difficult to operate. Inthe event of damage to the hammer, the entire structure must be removedfrom the holes in order to repair the same. Above ground hammers suffershortcomings which are equally significant. Among these is theadditional length which is required for the derrick to actuate a hammer.In instances where suitable drilling equipment is used, the derricklength is advantageously kept as small as possible.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates a new and improvedimpulse hammer for drilling, this hammer being part and parcel of therotary kelly such that the same is an integral unit. Moreover, thehammer is constructed and arranged with respect to the well drillingequipment to provide an efiicient utilization of the aboveground derricklength.

Another feature of the present invention -resides in the provision of ahammer and rotary kelly of the character described wheren the hammer isonly operated when required. That is to say, means are provided foractuating the hammer only in instances where relatively hard strata orformations are encountered and hammer impulses impartedto the drill willenhance the drilling speed and efliciency. Thus, when the formationshifts from hard rock to softer clay and sand, the hammer need not beoperated and the life of the drill bit is prolonged accordingly.

Still further according to this invention, there is provided acombination rotary kelly and hammer, wheren the rotary kelly isSuspended from a swivel joint for drive by a rotary table. The primemover means for actuating the hammer within the kelly is carried by thenonrotatable part of the swivel joint housing. Drive is therebytransmitted to the hammer by a hollow shaft, and the entire arrangementis adapted to transmit cuttng fluid downwardly into the drilling stringand the drill bit.

The present invention contemplates a new and improved hammer means forwell drilling equipment which is of notably simple and inexpensiveConstruction and capable of reliable and trouble free operation underfield conditions.

These and still further objects, advantages, and novel features of thepresent invention will become apparent in the specification and claims,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawingsz- V FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view of arotary kelly hammer according to this invention mounted on a suitablederrick;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational sectional view of the rotary kelly hammer;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged elevational section view the upper part of theassembly in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational section view of a modified embodiment of theassembly;

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FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, showing an enlarged view of theupper part of the assembly in FIGURE 4;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are sectional plan views of the hammer carried in therotary kelly, in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational section view of still a further embodiment ofthis invention; and

FIGURES 9 and 10 are sectional plan views taken along lines 9-9 and10-10 respectively in FIGURE 8.

Referring now to FIGURE l, there is shown a derrick 10 mounted on a rearend of a truck or vehcle 12, the derrick having a cable and pulleyassembly 14 joined to the upper end of a swivel joint 16. In turn, theswivel joint 16 carries a Kelly joint 18 adaptedfor engagement by arotary table 20 to drill a hole via drilling pi-pe 22 which is driveninto the ground through the Kelly joint 18 and the rotary table 20. Thisgeneral arrangement is well known in the art and tlie instant inventionrelates to means associated with the swivel joint 16 and the Kelly joint18 to provide a new and improved arrangement to efiect a percussionimpulse to the drilling pipe when desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 3 a power hammer Operating means 24 iscarried by the swivel joint 16 above its swivel connection 26, therotary Kelly joint 18 carrying a hammer 28 therein.

Specifically, the swivel joint includes an upper housing 30 having acable receiving means 32 at its upper end.

This housing 30 is of generally inverted V-shaped tubular congurationand receives a flexible hose 34 via a coupling 36 joined to one of itslegs 38. Its other leg 40 is flanged at its lower end 42. Referring nowto FIGURE 3,. an intermediate sleeve 44 having an upper fiange 46, isjoined to the fiange 42. These anges 42 and 46 are joined together bybolts 48 in the usual fashion. The sleeve 44 is interiorly threaded atits lower portion 50 and has an enlarged counterbore 52 at its upper endreceiving an interiorly threaded disc 54, with roller bearngs 56 spacedbetween the disc 54 and the lower surface of the flange 42 so that thisdisc 54 is freely rotatable.

A packing gland 58 is positioned adjacent to the under-' side of disc 54to reduce triction when the disc 54 is rotated. An upper part 60 of agear housing 61 has a boss 62, exten'orly threaded, and received by theinteriorly threaded lower portion 50 of the sleeve 44. Conveniently, thelength of the boss 62 within the sleeve 44 is such that the packinggland 58 is properly biased upwardly so as to minimize the frictioncaused by rotation of the disc 54, has well become evident. The uppergear housing part 60 is connected to a complementary lower part 64 todefine a hollow interior 66. Opposed flanges 68 on the upper and lowergear housing parts 60 to 64 mate with one another and are joinedtogether by bolts 70.

The boss 62 has a n enlarged counterbore 72 receiving a thrust hearing74; a hollow downwardly extending shaft 76 is threaded at its upper end77 into engagement with the interior threads of the disc 54. Thus, thehearing 74 houses this shaft 76, and an O-ring seal 78 is convenientlypositioned above the thrust hearing 74 between the shaft 76 and theinterior of the boss 62.

The upper part 60 of the gear housing 71 carries a drive motor 80 inlaterally offset relationship to the axis of the shaft 76. The shaft 76carries a drive gear 82 within the gear housing 66, power beingtransmitted to this gear 82 by reduction gears 84, 86 and 88, the gear88 being connected to the output drive of the motor 80 while the gears84 and 86 are mounted on a common shaft 90. Thus, operation of the drivemotor rotates the shaft 76 and in this regard the threaded connection ofthe upper end of this shaft 76 and the disc 54 is opposite to the normaldirection of rotation when the drive motor 80 is Operating.

Patented July 5, 1966` The lower part 64 of the gear housing 66 has anexteriorly threaded depending boss 92 surrounding the shaft 76.

A bell-shaped swivel housing 94 is threaded at its upper end to thedepending boss 92, the housing 94 carrying a sealing gland 96 about theshaft 76 and having an exterior flange 98 at its lower enlarged end. Theupper end of the rotary Kelly joint 18 is received within the lowerenlarged end of the swivel housing 94, there being provided a hollowbell shaped member 100 having an upper flange 102, bearings 104 and 106being positioned above the flange 102 and below the flange 102 retainedby a bottom cover plate 108 which is joined to the flange 98 by bolts110. The hollow member 100 is interiorly threaded at its lower enlargedend 112 and receives the upper threaded end 114 of a Kelly joint housing116, these elements being retained by countersunk screws 117.

The Kelly joint housing 116 is of substantial length in accordance withknown practices and is of a hollow crosssectional configuration,receiving for longitudinal movement therein the hammer 28. The hammer 28is of heavy Construction and the shaft76 passes completely therethrough.The shaft 76 has splines 118 extending therealong and cooperativelyengages With splined grooves 120 about the upper interior end of thehammer 28. The hammer 28 is, of course, of a lesser length than thelongitudinal interior size of the Kelly joint 18 so that the hammer 28can move longitudinally therein.

The lower end of the hammer 28 has a cam surface 122 which cooperateswith a cam surface 124 at the bottom part of the housing 116. Thus,rotation of the shaft 76 forces the hammer upwardly along the camsurface 124 of the housing 116 until it reaches the upper extremity 126of the cam surface then leaving the hammer to fall downwardly to imparta percussion or impulse blow to the drilling pipe 22 therebelow. Thelower end of the housing 116 is exteriorly threaded at 128, and an oilretaining ring 130 is carried between the lower exterior end of theshaft 76 and bottom bore 132 of the housing 116.

The operation of the FIGURE 1 embodiment of this invention is asfollows:

The upper housing 30 is connected to the cable 34 on the derrick via theconnecting means 32 and the Kelly joint 18 is assembled within a rotarytable in the usual fashion so that the rotary drive is transmitted tothe eXterior drive-transmitting surface 136 of the housing 116, so thatthe Kelly joint 18 is rotated to drill the well hole. Drilling fluid ispiped down to the bottom of the well shaft via flexible hose 34, thehollow housing legs 38 and 40, through the hollow shaft 76 and thendownwardly through the drilling pipe 22. When the motor 80 is notoperating there is no rotary force on the shaft 76 and the hammer is notoperating but simply rotates with the Kelly joint 18.

When hard strata is encountered wherein it will be advantageous toimpart an impulse or percussion to the drilling bit (not shown), thedrive motor is operated, and the shaft 76 is driven in the oppositedirection to the direction of rotation of the Kelly joint 18. By thisarrangement, the hammer within the Kelly joint housing 116 ridesupwardly along the cam surface 124 and then drops so that the impulse isin a cyclical fashion for each revolution of shaft 76 relative to Kellyjoint housing 116. Thus, the impulse blows can be started and stopped asdesired and the life of the drilling tool is preserved.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, there is shown an arrangement generallysimilar to that shown in FIGURE 1 but the shaft 76 moves longitudinallyto impart the percussion blows to the Kelly joint housing 116 'via thehammer 28. In this embodiment of the invention the disc 54 and bearing56 are eliminated so that the shaft 76 is longitudinally movable withinthe boss 62 at its open end.

The shaft 76 moves longitudinally with the hammer 28 to impart thepercussion or impulse blows to the Kelly joint housing 116. To this end,the disc 54 and hearing 56 are eliminated so that the shaft 76 islongitudinally movable within the boss 62 and the aligned enlarged lowerbore 140 of the leg 40.`

The reduction gear 86 which engages the drive gear 82 on the shaft 76 isof substantial length, corresponding to the stroke which is ultimatelyimparted to the hammer 28 during operation. In FIGURE 2, the drive gear82 is at the upper end of the stroke, and meshes with the upper part ofthe reduction gear 86. The drive gear 82 carries a depending hub 142having a cam surface 144 at its lower end. The lower part 64 of the gearhousing 61 carries a cam plate 146 in alignment with the upper end ofthe depending boss 92, in stationary relationship as by weldng. Theshaft 76 is freely rotatable relative to the stationary cam plate 146,its upper surface 148 cooperating with the cam surface 144, duringrotation of the shaft 76 to transmt longitudinal impulse movement tothis shaft. Thus, when the cam surfaces 144, 148 cooperate to drop theshaft 76 impulse blows are transmitted directly to the hammer 28.

In this embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical hammer 28 has acounterbore 150, interiorly threaded, at its upper end, while the lowerend of the shaft 76 carries a threaded flange 152 nested in the lowerend of the counterbore 150. A bearing 154 is seated on the top of theflange 152 and this arrangement is held in place by an exteriorlythreaded bushing 156. Thus, the reciprocating and rotary motion impartedto the shaft 76 is transmitted into a simple reciprocating percussionmovement to the hammer 28 which strikes the bottom interior surface 158of the Kelly joint housing 116.

Thus, with this embodiment of the invention, a square kelly andcooperatively shaped square hammer may be utilized (FIGURE 6), or thehammer may be cylindrical (FIGURE 7), with driving flutes 160 along theexterior surface 136 of the Kelly joint housing 116.

Referring now to FIGURE 9, still further modification of the instantinvention is shown wherein the hammer is confined to reciprocatingmovement via a reciprocating and non-rotating bored shaft 76. Instead ofutilizing the arrangement of a motor and reduction gears for driving theshaft 76, a fluid motor is utilized. In this regard, the fluid motorincludes an upper cylnder head 172 having an upwardly extending boss 174which is flanged to the lower end of the lower leg flange 42, theseelements having an aligned bore 176 adapted to receive reciprocatingmovement of the shaft 76, a seal ring 178 insuring that the cuttingfluid does not contaminate the fluid motor 170. A cylnder 180 havingupper and lower flanges 182, 184 is joined to the upper cylnder head 172and has an apertured lower wall 186 merging with the flange 184. Thewall 186 thereby defines an integral lower cylnder head.

The fluid motor 170 carries a valve sleeve 190 confined for rotarymovement. The cylnder 180 has upper and lower pressure inlet ports 192,194 respectively and upper and lower exhaust ports 196 and 198,respectively. Each set of inlet and exhaust ports are diametrcallyopposed, and the valve sleeve 190 has upper and lower inlet ports 200,202 and exhaust ports 204 and 206. Each set of inlet and exhaust portsin the valve sleeve 190 is arranged so that when the valve sleeve is inone radial position, the pressure inlet ports 192 and 202 are aligned,and the exhaust ports 196 and 204 are aligned; in another position, theupper inlet ports 192 and 200 are aligned as are the lower exhaust ports198 and 206.

The shaft 76 carries a piston 208, in rigid relationship as by weldingor the like, the arrangement of ports just described allowing forreciprocating upward and downward movement of the piston 208 as will nowbe explained. The radial movement to the valve sleeve 190 at the end ofeach stroke is obtained by an arrangement of vanes which engage oneanother at the extremities of the piston stroke. In this regard, thepiston 208 carries opposed upwardly extending guide plates 210 anddownwardly extending guide blocks 212. The interior surface of the valveplate 190 likewise carries stationary guide plates 214 at the upper endand opposed stationary guide plates 216 at the lower end. These guideblocks 210, 212 and guide plates 214, 216 are arranged in radial andangularly disposed positions so that when the piston reaches an extremeend of its stroke it engages a set of the guide plates carried on thevalve sleeve 190 and rotates the same through a slight arc by a wedgingaction so that the alignment of the ports is changed as previouslydescribed. Specifically, when the piston is moved upwardly with pressurethrough the ports 194, 202 (and the exhaust ports 196, 204 open) theupper guide blocks 210 angularly intersect the guide plates 214 andwedge the valve sleeve 190 in a counterclockwse direction (FIGURE 9) sothat the alignment of the ports is changed. When this occurs, the upperpressure inlet ports 192, 200 are then opened, the lower eX- haust ports198-206 are opened and the piston 208 moves downwardly where, at thelower end of its stroke, the guide blocks 212 engages guide plates 216to move the valve sleeve slightly in a clockwise direction and thepiston can then move upwardly. Thus the mating surfaces of the guideblocks and guide plates are angularly disposed to one another to etfectthis wedging action.

The lower cylinder head 186 carries a depending flange plate 218 havingan enlarged bore 220 and an interiorly threaded counterbore 222. Theswivel housing 94 has an upwardly extending, exteriorly threaded boss224 and a square counterbore 226 which receives a square stabilizingblock 228, threaded to the shaft 76. In this regard, the shaft 76 may beof two parts and joined together by a threaded connection via thisstabilizing block 228. This arrangement confines the shaft 76 toreciprocating movement in a simple and convenient manner. In thisembodment of the invention, the Kelly joint housing 116 is joined to theswivel joint 16 via its interiorly threaded upper end 230, carrying aplug 232 and the lower exteriorly threaded end of the bearing plate 234.A drive shaft bushing 236 s carried on the upper end of the plug 232within the lower end of the bearing plate 234.

By virtue of the arrangement of the fluid motor 170 in this embodment ofthe inventon it is apparent that reciprocating percussion blows areimparted to the hammer 28 when pressure is supplied to the ports 192 and194 from any suitable pressure source (not shown). This embodment of theinvention is characterzed by Simplicity, and unusual ability towithstand abuse as is encountered in the field.

From the foregoing description of the various embodments of thisinvention it is evident that the objects of this invention, togetherwith many practical advantages are successfully achieved. Whilepreferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerousfurther modifications may be made without departing from the scope ofthis invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth orshown in the acompanying drawings are to be interpreted in anillustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Well drilling equipment comprising: a rotary kelly having an exteriorsurface constructed and arranged to be driven about its axis by a rotarytable and movable downwardly through the rotary table; hammer meanscarried within said kelly for longtudinal movement relative thereto; andmeans for actuating said hammer means for imparting impulses blows tosaid rotary kelly via said hammer means.

2. Equipment defined in claim 1 wherein said actuating means isoperative independently of rotary motion transmitted to said kelly viathe rotary table.

3. Drilling equipment defined in claim 1 including a swivel joint at theupper end of said rotary kelly operative to receive said rotary kelly-for free rotation, said actuating means being operatively carried abovesaid swivel ioint.

4. Equipment defined-in claim 3 including a housing carried instationary relationship relative to said swivel joint; said actuatingmeans being carried within said swivel joint housing.

5. Rotary kelly defined in claim 1 including 'a swivel joint adapted tocarry the upper end of said rotary kelly for free rotation; and meansfor transmitting cutting fluid downwardly through said swivel joint-housing and said rotary kelly.

6. Equipment defined in claim 5 wherein said actuating means is carriedby said swivel joint housing and including hollow shaft means -fortransmitting impulse force from said actuating means to said hammermeans.

7. Equipment defined in claim 6 including cam means constructed andarranged to transmit rotary motion into longtudinal impulse blows tosaid rotary kelly via said hammer.

8. Well drilling equipment comprising: a rotary kelly having an exteriorsurface constructed and arranged to be driven about its axis by a rotarytable and mov-able downwardly through the table; a hammer carried withinsaid kelly and having a longtudinal bore therethrough; a hollow shaftjoined to said hammer and extending upwardly through said rotary kelly;a swivel housing including a swivel joint received at the upper end ofsaid rotary kelly for free rotation, said shaft extendng upwardly intosaid swivel housing; means carried by said swivel housing incooper-ative relationship with said shaft; said swivel housing adaptedto transmit cutting fluid downwardly through said shaft, said hammer,and said rotary kelly; said actuating means being operative to imparthammer impulses to said rotary kelly via said shaft and said hammer.

9. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said actu- -ating means includesrotary drive means operative to impart rotary movement to said shaftmeans; said hammer being mounted for longtudinal but non-rotatablemovement relative to said shaft and relative rotary movement withrespect to said rotary kelly; and cam means cooperatively positionedbetween said hammer and said rotary kelly for raising said hammer alongsaid shaft relative to said rotary kelly and then dropping the s-ameagainst the bottom interior of said rotary kelly, in a direction ofrotation opposite to the operative direction of rotation of said Kellyjoint.

10. Equipment defined in claim 9 wherein said hammer is connected tosaid shaft by a spline joint.

11. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said hammer is mounted forindependent relative rotary movement with respect to said shaft butfixed to said shaft in a longitudinal direction; said actuating meansbeing operative to raise said shaft and said hammer and then drop thesame against the bottom interior of said kelly.

12. Rotary kelly defined in claim 11 wherein said actuating meansincludes a fluid motor.

13. 'Equipment defined in claim 12 wherein said fluid motor includes apiston carried by said shaft; a cylinder surrounding said piston; arotary valve sleeve operatively carried between said cylinder and saidpiston; and means for moving said valve in an arcuate path at each endof the stroke of said piston to thereby change the direction of `thestroke of said piston.

14. Equipment defined in claim 13 wherein said valve moving meansincludes means carried by said piston and means carried by the interiorof said valve sleeve, said piston moving means constructed and arrangedfor wedging engagement with said valve sleeve moving means to move saidvalve sleeve in said arcuate path.

15. Equipment defined in claim 12 including a noncircular stabilizingmember carried by said shaft below said fluid motor to prevent rotationof said shaft.

16. Equipment defined in claim 8 including `a drive motor; reductiongear means operatively connected to said drive motor; a gear carried bysaid shaft in engagement with said reduction gear means; and cam meanscarried 7 within said swivel housing operative to transmit rotarymovement mparted to said shaft gear into longitudinal impulse movement.

17. Equipment defined in claim 8 wherein said hammer has a noneircularrotary exterior configuration to thereby prevent relative movement withrespect to said Kelly joint,

References Cited by the Examine' 8 -Parrish et al. 64-23.5

Cooley 173-104 Hunn 173--78 Morrison 173- 78 Alexander 173-163 MILTONKAUFMAN, P''mary Examiner.

L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Exam'ner.

8. WELL DRILLING EQUIPMENT COMPRISING: A ROTARY KELLY HAVING AN EXTERIORSURFACE CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO BE DRIVEN ABOUT ITS AXIS BY A ROTARYTABLE AND MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE TABLE; A HAMMER CARRIED WITHSAID KELLY AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE THERETHROUGH; A HOLLOW SHAFTJOINED TO SAID HAMMER AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID ROTARY KELLY;A SWIVEL HOUSING INCLUDING A SWIVEL JOINT RECEIVED AT THE UPPER END OFSAID ROTARY KELLY FOR FREE ROTATION, SAID SHAFT EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO